Cut-out box and meter adapter



A; B. RYPINSKI cur-om." BOX AND METER ADAPTER Oct. 14

Filed May 12. 1921 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 x m avwemtoz 14L BEA TB. fiYP/N5K/ l In g 22 5,

2 Sheets-Shae t.

A. B. RYPINSKI GUTQOUT BOX AND METER ADAPTER Filed May 12,

Oct. 14, 1924.

rt'antedoa. 14, 1924.

UNITED STATES.

PATENT OFFICE.

ALBERT B. BYPINSKL' OF BROOKLYN JNEW YORK. ASSIGNOR TO THOMAS E. MURRAY, OF BROOKLYN. NEW YORK.

CUT-OUT BOX AND METER ADAPTER.

Application filed Kay 12. 1921. Serial 80,468.82.

T all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALBERT B. RYPINSKI,

a citizen of the United States, residing in Brookl n, county of Kings, and State of New ork, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Cut-Out Boxes and Meter Adapters, of which the following is a specification.

In arranging electric installations of switches or cut-outs and meters it is customary to mount the cut-out. box and meter together by means of a so-called adapter of nonmagnetic material surrounding or engaging the points of connection to the II meter and providing an enclosure for the wires running from the cut-out box to the meter. My invention provides an adapter and a combination of the same with the meter and cut-out box having certain advantages in the way of cheapness and security. The accompan ing drawings illustrate an embodiment of t 1e invention.

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the assembled parts; Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the meter with the adjacent parts in section;

Fig. 3 is'a plan of the same with the .top of theadapter omitted;

Fig.4 is a plan of the lower part of the adapter;

Fig. 5 is a detail in section on the line 5-5 of Fig.3. 7 y a Referring to the embodiment of-the invention illustrated the cut-out box is desig- 86 nated as a whole by the letter A, the adapter b the letter B, and the meter by the letter 1. The exposed sides of the box are provided with openings 1 having removable shutters 2, the removal of which leaves a assage for the line wires into the box. he inner side 3 of the box has a top flange 4 overhanging the corres nding ed e of the cover 5. A perforated ug 6 on t e front wall of the box passes up through an opening in the cover and is intended to receive a' padlock or seal to prevent unauthorized opening of the box. The inner wall 3 of the box is formed with an opening'7 at the bottom for the passage of wires 8 to the 0 meter. A flange 9 bent out from .the wall 3 at the top of the openin enters a corresponding opening in the apter and serves to hold these two parts in register and also to cover the wires 8. Lugs 10 (Fig. 5) also I extend from the bottom of the box into suitable recesses of the adapter to hold the parts in correct'register.

'The end wall 3 is held in place by lugs 11 at the sides passing through openings in the side walls of the box and also by lugs 12, Fig. 5, passing through openings in the bottom. It is sprung into place and held by these lugs. The entire box is of sheet steel and contains any usual or suitable arrangement of cut-out and other devices, which it is unnecessary to illustrate.

The meter C is enclosed in a casing with a cover fastened by a lock 13, Fig. 1. It is approximately rectangular, with round corners, in plan, and has a pair of wires 8 leading intoit at opposite sides; or at va-, rious other points in meters of different designs.

The adapter is of zinc. It is made in two parts which when fitted together form an enclosed space around the lower part of the meter so as to enclose the. wire connections \to the meter box and prevent access thereto. The base 14 is a'zinc plate cut-out at the center for economy and havingan upward flange 15 on its outer end and similar flanges 16 on the sides. Slots 17 are formed therein for fastening the base of itto a supporting plate 18, Fi v2, which carries the entire equipment, the cut-out box being similarly fastened on thisbase by openings through its bottom. The bottom plate 14 of the adapter has also a-slot 19 at the outer end, the surrounding metal being pressed upward as at 20 to form a recess on the un-- derside; and a pair of similar slots 21 at the inner end with elevated margins 2-2 to form recesses on the underside. The meter has a central lug 23 at the outer end and side lugs 24 at the inner end and is fastened on the base of the adapter by means of bolts 25 passing through the lugs and through the slots in the bottom plate and carrying nuts 25' (Fig. 5) on their lower ends which fit the recesses and are held therein againstrotation. The slots 19 and 21 all open in the same direction, that is toward the inner end of the adapter. This facilitates the mounting of the meter on the base of the adapter after the latter is fastened on its support. The meter, with the bolts in place carrying their nuts on theirlower ends is shoved sidewise into position, bringing the bolts into the slots. The

screw driver or other suitable tool. edge of the bottom plate 14 around the cen- The tral opening therein is bent up to form side ribs 26 and an end rib 270m which the meter rests directly. The meter formsa complete trough for the wires between it and the side walls of the adapter and helps to keep the back plate stifi'er and more substantial.

The top of the adapter comprises a Hat plate 28 with an opening fitting closely around the meter and with an outer end flange 29 (Fig. and side flanges 30 (Fig. 1) fitting withinthe flanges 15 and. 16 of the bottom. The flanges 29 and 30 are madecomparatively short so that the height of the adapter is just suificient to easily accommodate the wires, thus economizing zinc which is a comparatively expensive metal. By fitting the flanges ofthe top within those of the bottom it becomes impossible, or prac tically so, to pry the top up and get at the wires. Also, see Fig. l, the sides of the cutout box are provided with in s 31 which overhang the top of-the ada ter' at its inner end and interfere with the lifting of it. At

its inner end the top 28' of the adapter is' bent down to form a flange 32 (Fig. 2) the a lower part of-this'flange being cut away to plate B of the adapter so that it prevents the lifting of the latter after the meter casing is closed and locked. The cut-out box is-then brought up against the end of the adapter and fastened on the supporting base, the wires connected, and the cover of the box fastened down.

In this combination the parts are held securely in place and the wires promoted 1,5i1,ese

from improper access, being enclosed within the adapter or the box and being covered by the flange 9. where they pass from one to the other. The inner side 3 of the box cannot be removed because of its bearing against the end of the adapter and because of the engagement of the flange 9 with the latter.

The parts are all designed so that they maybe cheaply stamped out of comparatively thin sheet steel or zinc (or other nonmagnetic material) and the quantity of such zinc used is only that which is suflicient to surround the meter and to enclose the wires.

Though I have described with great particularity of detail a certain embodiment of my invention yet it will be understood that the invention is not restricted to the specific embodiment disclosed. Various modifications thereof in detail and in the arrangement of the parts may bemade by those skilled in the art without departure from the invention.

What I claim is- 1. An electric installation including in combination a cut-out box and an adapter for connecting a meter thereto, said adapter comprising a bottom adapted for attachment to a fixed base and for attachment to the meter, said bottom havin with edges bent upwar the base of the meter.

2. A meter adapter comprising a base adapted to be attached to a meter and having open ended slots permitting the sidewise introduction of fastening devices for securing the meter on said base and having recesses on the underside for receiving and holding parts of said fastening devices.

3. The combination of a meter and a meter adapter having a base on which the meter is mounted and a cover with an opening permitting it to pass over the meter, the meter having a cover which when in place extends beyond the edge of said opening and prevents the removal of the adapter cover.

lln witness whereof, I have hereunto signed my name.

ALBERT B. RYPINSKI.

to form a rest for a central opening a 

